For the Love of a Child
by peytona05
Summary: While Hutch is on vacation, Starsky meets the one girl who has the potential to change his life forever. Part One of my "Hero" series.
1. Chapter 1

The little girl stared at her mother from the backseat as they drove home from the airport. "Are you sure it's going to be safe there?"

"Sweetheart, we'll be fine. Just because Grandma and Grandpa won't be at the house doesn't mean the boogeyman will suddenly move in. You knew they were only going to stay for a couple of weeks, just long enough to help us settle in. Everything will be fine; you'll see. Oh, do you know what? We need to stop by the supermarket before heading home. I thought we'd have spaghetti for dinner tonight. How does that sound?"

The little girl nodded as she twirled her red hair. Her mother carefully reached one hand back and patted her on the knee. "We'll be okay, Ashley. I promise."

xxxxx

"Hutch, how long are you gonna be gone?"

"Only a week. My god, Starsk, you're acting like we've never been apart before. What's the matter with you?"

Starsky shrugged as they exited his car.

The blond stared at his partner. "Are you worried that Dobey's still mad about that exploding chicken you had in the refrigerator?"

"How was I s'posed to know he'd be the one to open the fridge? I just don't see why you have to go home now."

"Scott and I have been friends since high school. He wanted me to be his best man; how could I say no?"

"You want me to come in and wait with ya 'til it's time for you to board your plane?"

Hutch had to smile. "You can if you want, but you don't have to. You have a full day of paperwork tomorrow. Go home and rest up for it, buddy."

"No chance of that. I've got grocery shopping to do."

"All right, well, I'll see you in a week. Don't forget to water my plants while I'm gone-and try not to drown them, okay?"

Starsky couldn't help but laugh. "I'll see what I can do. Now get outta here. And tell your folks I said hey."

He waved goodbye as he watched his best friend walk into the airport, then returned to his car, ready to begin his week without Hutch.

xxxxx

"All right, missy, can you think of anything else we might need while we're here?"

Ashley shook her head. She wasn't anxious to go home, but she felt safer there than in town. Dragging her feet and looking at the ground as she walked, she followed the aisle to the end and turned a corner, bumping into a shopping cart. She looked at the man pushing it and mumbled, "I'm sorry."

xxxxx

Starsky's heart went out to the child; she looked as if she didn't have a friend in the world.

"Ashley, are you all right? Sweetheart, you've got to watch where you're going."

"It's fine," Starsky told the woman, whom he assumed to be the mother. "It was just an accident." He extended his hand. "Dave Starsky."

The woman placed her hand in his. "Melissa Griffin, and this is Ashley."

Starsky smiled as he returned his gaze to the little girl. He had always felt nervous around children, but there was something about Ashley's deep blue eyes that pierced his soul.

"Ashley, it's nice to meet you." He raised his hand to offer her a high-five, but she shied away from him, hiding behind her mother.

_She looks absolutely heartbroken. she's seen some things; she's been hurt...terribly._

He couldn't help but be attracted to Melissa. Glancing at her left hand, he noticed that she wasn't wearing a wedding band. Wanting to get better acquainted, the detective began making small talk.

"You know, I'm in here all the time, but I don't think I've ever seen you."

"You probably haven't. We just moved to the area two weeks ago. My parents helped us move in, and Mom did most of the shopping."

xxxxx

Melissa was struggling not to stare into the stranger's blue eyes. She had been sure she'd never feel this way again, but there was a part of her that didn't want him to leave.

She felt Ashley tap her arm. "Mom, can we go home now?"

Her daughter's voice snapped Melissa out of her trance. "Yes, we do need to go." She turned her cart in the direction of the cash registers, then looked back. "By any chance would you like to come to dinner tonight?"

"Dinner would be nice," Starsky replied. "Where do you live, and what time should I be there?"

Melissa gave him their address and said to arrive about six-thirty.

xxxxx

Starsky repeated the address over and over on his way home. He'd gotten some sort of date with Melissa without even trying, but he had to admit, he was curious about where Ashley's father was. He was interested in finding out why the girl had looked at him as though she didn't trust him.


	2. Chapter 2

Ashley was quiet during the ride home and as she watched her mother prepare their dinner. She was thinking about the man they'd met in the store that afternoon.

_He acted really nice, and he even looked like he liked Mom a little bit. But if he ever finds out what's happened to us, he won't want to be our friend anymore._

At only eight years old, Ashley had trouble trusting men. She really hoped this man wouldn't become a permanent part of her and her mother's lives. She was afraid they would get hurt again.

xxxxx

Melissa was about to put noodles in the boiling water when there was a knock at the door. Going from the kitchen to the living room, she saw Ashley walking to the door.

"Remember what I said about opening the door?"

"I looked out the window; it's Dave," Ashley replied.

"Sweetie, that's not the point. How do we open the door in this house?"

"Who is it?" Ashley called.

"Dave Starsky," came the response.

The little girl looked at her mother, who nodded and mouthed a "thank you". Ashley opened the door and returned to the couch, where she continued coloring.

"Come in, and make yourself at home," Melissa offered. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"Water, please, and thank you. Can I help with dinner?" Starsky asked as he draped his jacket over a chair.

"Not at the moment." She reentered a moment later and handed Starsky a glass of water. "Have a seat, Dave. Dinner will be ready shortly."

Starsky joined Ashley on the couch. Not sure how to start a conversation with her, he simply asked,"Mind if I color, too?"

The child shrugged, and for a moment Starsky just sat, not sure what to do. Then he reached for a blank sheet of paper and a crayon. He began to draw as he talked. "Do you know what I'm gonna do? I'm gonna draw the most beautiful picture you've ever seen."

Ashley stopped what she was doing and looked at him. "With only one crayon?"

He nodded. "Those are the best. You don't have to wonder what all the colors are supposed to be if there's only one." Starsky laid the crayon down on the coffee table and turned the paper around so Ashley could see what he'd drawn: a stick figure, with a small body and an oversized head, wearing a huge, toothy grin. He had drawn different sized ears, different shaped eyes, and wild, frizzy hair.

"What do you think?"

Starsky could tell she was stifling a grin. He wanted to know what she was thinking, but he wasn't sure she'd tell him even if she asked, so he just kept his question to himself.

Ashley looked up at him as she opened her mouth to say she liked it, but her mother called from the kitchen that their hands needed to washed for dinner.

Starsky cleaned up, then headed into the kitchen to help set the table.

"That's Ashley's job, but you're more than welcome to fill the glasses. She'll have milk, and I'll join you in drinking water."

Melissa was showing Starsky where he could find the glasses just as her daughter joined them in the kitchen and began setting the table.

The trio sat down to dinner a few minutes later, and as she was helping Ashley fill her plate, Melissa asked, "Dave, where do you work?"

"I'm a detective at the presinct a few blocks over from the supermarket. I would've been working this afternoon, but my partner needed a ride to the airport. He was headed home for a wedding."

"We were at the airport too, seeing my parents off."

"Where are they from?" Starsky wanted to know.

"Oregon. They came down to help us move in."

_Why do_ _I feel like there's something she's not telling me? I wish I knew her well enough to ask what it is._


	3. Chapter 3

The way he watched her was unnerving, but there was something about his blue eyes that made her feel completely comfortable. And hearing that he was a cop made Melissa feel even more sure that he really _was_ a nice guy, something she'd never had much luck in finding.

Melissa glanced at Ashley and found her intently watching their dinner guest. Her heart sank with a realization that she hadn't included Ashley in the decision to invite him over.

_What kind of a mother am I? Dave's the first man to join us for a meal in years. It's no wonder she's been quiet all afternoon. She's probably wondering why I invited him over, after hiding from the world for three years._

xxxxx

Ashley sat watching Starsky as he talked with her mother. When he'd been coloring with her, Ashley had almost felt comfortable with him, but as soon as the three of them had sat down to dinner, memories of the last man to sit at their table came flooding back.

Feeling the tears well up, Ashley dropped her fork on her plate and ran from the room.

xxxxx

Admittedly, Starsky was startled by Ashley's sudden exit. Never claiming to be tactful, he asked Melissa, "There's something you're not telling me, and if we're gonna be friends, I want to know what it is. Now what was that about?"

xxxxx

Melissa closed her eyes as she deeply sighed to calm her nerves. She wanted to check on Ashley, but knew that Starsky deserved some sort of an explanation.

"Her father, to put it kindly, was a jerk. When I first married him, I honestly thought he loved me. But when he would come home drunk, nothing we did was ever good enough. And that happened often. I left three years ago. We stayed with my parents, hoping that he wouldn't come after us. We haven't heard a word out of him. Ashley's extremely reserved around men. Even with my dad, she's been careful not to do anything that she thinks would upset him."

xxxxx

As Starsky listened to what Melissa was telling him, he felt his anger rising. What she and Ashley had been through was an issue for him.

"Melissa, I'm sorry he put you through that. He had no right to do such a thing, and neither you nor Ashley deserved it. You know that, don't you?"

He watched the tears began to fall as Melissa nodded.

"I almost don't want to ask, but if I went to talk to Ashley, do you think she'd listen to me?"

Melissa dabbed her eyes with a napkin. "She probably won't, but you can try."

Starsky left the table and walked through the kitchen door. He didn't see Ashley in the living room, so he followed the adjacent hall to a closed door, behind which he heard crying.

He knocked. "Ashley? Can I come in?"

_Sniff_. "Go away."

Starsky knocked again. "Can we talk for a second?"

"No."

He sighed as he sat on the floor outside Ashley's bedroom door. "How about if I talk, and you just listen?" No response. "My dad got drunk, too. He never hit me or my brother, but he beat my mom a lot. I promised myself a long time ago that I wouldn't do that, and I haven't. I wanna be your _friend_, Ashley. I'm not gonna hurt your or your mom. I promise."

"Do you like her?"

Starsky began to nod, then remembered that Ashley couldn't see him. "Yes, but I won't ask her out if you don't want me to."

Ashley was quiet for a moment. "No, I don't."

As he stood, Starsky said, "I still wanna be your friend. Maybe someday you'll let me be."


	4. Chapter 4

Starsky walked back to the living room and saw Melissa holding his jacket.

"I take it you heard all of that?"

The woman nodded. "Maybe it would be best if you just left."

He slowly accepted his jacket. "I meant what I said. I would like to be friends."

"We've got to take it slow, Dave, for Ashley's sake. I don't want her to be anymore upset than she already is."

"I know. I understand."

Melissa smiled. "Thank you for coming. It was nice to meet you."

"Same here. I'll see you around."

The pair waved goodbye and Melissa sighed as she sat on the couch. She happened to glance at the coffee table and saw a picture of a stick figure with a small body and an oversized head.

xxxxx

Over the next few days, Starsky was tempted after work to stop by Melissa's house to see if they were interested in coming over for dinner, but he never did because he didn't want Ashley to think he was breaking his promise to not ask her mother out.

He wanted to see Melissa again, but he had to admit there was a part of him that also missed Ashley. He wished more than anything that she trusted him, but for the life of him, Starsky couldn't figure out how to prove to the little girl that she could.

xxxxx

Melissa waited a few nights before mentioning Starsky to her daughter. As they cleared the dinner table, Melissa asked, "So...what did you think of Dave?"

The little girl bit her lip hesitantly. "Is he coming over again?"

"No, I just want to know how you liked him."

_He seemed like he was really nice_, Ashley thought, _and he said he wanted to be friends. He said he wouldn't hurt us, but what if he just said that because he likes Mom? What if he turns out to be like Daddy?_

Ashley shrugged. Melissa asked if Starsky had been the one to draw the stick figure. When her daughter nodded, she asked, "Why?"

Ashley looked at her mother. "I think he was trying to make me laugh."

"I think so too. I don't think we have to be afraid of him, sweetheart. I feel like he really wants to be our friend."

Melissa let the subject drop and turned the conversation to school, which started the following Monday. Melissa asked if Ashley wanted to walk by her new school the next day.

The little girl nodded, glad to have the conversation off of Starsky. But she couldn't help but wonder if he was thinking about them as much as her mom seemed to be thinking about him.

xxxxx

The weekend came and went, and Starsky was glad when Monday rolled around. Hutch would be coming home the next day, and Starsky was anxious to tell his partner about Melissa and Ashley.

He was returning mid-afternoon from a late lunch when he heard what sounded like a child crying. Rounding a corner, Starsky saw his captain and several of his colleagues attempting to soothe a little girl that looked a lot like Ashley.

_That _is _Ashley. What's she doing here?_

"What's going on?" he asked, to no one in particular.

Captain Dobey looked sharply at the sergeant. "Starsky, where have you been? This little girl's been asking for you."

Before he was able to respond, Starsky saw Ashley run towards him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and began crying all over again.

"Starsky, do you know her?" the captain asked.

"Yeah, I'm friends with her mother...sorta." Starsky knelt down so he could look into Ashley's eyes. "What are you doing here?"

The little girl sniffed as she wiped away her tears. "I was walking home from school, but I got lost. I saw the store that we met you at and remembered what you said about being a cop. Dave, will you take me home?"

Starsky spoke quietly. "Ashley, any one of those knuckleheads could've taken you home. Why were you looking for me?"

"Because I don't know them; I know you. I want _you_ take me home. _Please."_

Starsky didn't need to be asked again. Without bothering to look at his captain for permission, he stood and walked Ashley to his car to drive her home.


	5. Epilogue

Melissa had been home from her new job about ten minutes when she heard a knock at the door. She glanced at her watch. _Ashley should've gotten home before I did. Why is she just getting here, and why on earth is she knocking?_

She opened the door and Starsky standing there.

"I found something of yours at my job today; I thought you might like it back." He smiled as Ashley peeked around from behind him.

"Ashley! Honey, what were you doing at the police department?"

"I'm sorry, Mom. I got lost." Tears threatened to overflow her eyelids.

Melissa knelt down and wrapped her arms around her daughter. "Don't be sorry. I know you're still learning your way around. Why don't we go for another walk tonight, and get to know our neighborhood better?"

As Ashley nodded, Starsky cleared his throat to remind the pair of his presence. "I gotta get back to work. I'll see you around."

Ashley pulled away from her mother's embrace. "Dave, thank you for bringing me home."

He smiled as he turned to go. "Anytime. What are friends for?"

"Dave." Ashley reached out and grabbed Starsky's hand. "I'm sorry. I wanna be friends too. Can...can you come to dinner tonight?"

Starsky was silent for a moment as he glanced from Ashley to Melissa again and back again. "Only if both you _and _your mother want me too."

Ashley looked at her mother and quickly nodded. Melissa smiled at Starsky. "We'd love to have you."

Starsky smiled again. "What time should I be here?"

"Same as before, six-thirty."

"And bring her some flowers," Ashley added in a stage whisper. She then ran to the coffee table, picked up a piece of paper, and ran into the kitchen. She returned a moment later, and taking Starsky by the hand, walked him into the kitchen. Hanging on the refrigerator was his stick figure drawing.

"He makes me laugh. That's a good thing, and good things get put on the fridge."

Starsky knelt by the little girl. "Thank you for giving me a chance, Ashley. I really do want to be your friend. Do you trust me?"

Ashley bit her lip as she slowly nodded. She wrapped her arms around Starsky's neck. "You won't hurt us, will you?"

He returned the embrace. "No. I promise."

Without even trying, Starsky had given hope to a small, broken family, and proven to a little girl that it was still okay to believe in love.


End file.
